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It’s that time again, when your timeline, inbox and DM’s are flooded with ‘vote for me’ pleas ahead of next years SXSW…and so I thought I’d add one more into the mix. In for a penny…
I’ve got not one but THREE panels submitted, covering a range of different topics.
I’m currently in the middle of a big research project, looking at the impact creation games (i.e. the act of creation as play) are having on Gen Alpha kids (5-13 years old) and how it might be start to influence their learning pathways and outcomes.
I’ve spoken to Roblox, Minecraft, Lego and a bunch of other super smart folks in this space, as well as working with Dubit (a brilliant youth research and gaming agency) to create the largest study ever done of kids and creation games across the US.
It’s exciting and the implications are already shaping up to be fascinating.
Voting for this talk will mean I can share all of the insights and implications of this research with you - including how creation gaming is evolving for kids today, what they’re learning and making in these spaces, and what that could mean for their future skill development, educational practices and how they might show up in the world as consumers in a few years time.
And since I’m spending all this time studying Gen Alpha, it would be remiss of me not to spin out those insights and that data into a wider viewpoint, with a focus on their relationship to technology, gaming, brands, consumerism and their expectations for how they want to interact with it all.
For this talk, I’ll be joined by the inimitable Cathy Hackl - you might know her as the Godmother Of The Metaverse - but she’s also the co-founder of Journey, who are doing some amazing work in the Gen Alpha and gaming space, as well as the author of ‘Into The Metaverse’, the definitive guide on how spatial computing, web3 and gaming have created a springboard from which the next iteration of the internet will evolve.
Cathy recently released an introductory overview of why paying attention to Gen Alpha now makes smart business sense, in partnership with Harvard Business Review.
So, between the two of us, we will have a lot to share.
If you’ve been following my work for a while, you’ll know that I’ve been studying the changing role and relevance of fandom for quite some time. I released The New Fandom Formula a few years back and have been working in this field ever since.
And wow, how things have changed/accelerated/exploded!
So in partnership with 21CB, I’d like to share the updates with you all - from the rise of community, to the cosy web, collective economic models, the future of loyalty, open IP, and the introduction of the Multiplayer Brand.
It’s such an interesting space and one that I am more excited about than ever.
So there you have it - 3 talks, 3 votes needed to make them happen.
It’s in your hands, but I would so appreciate your support.
Thank you.
SXSW 2024
Done x